Subtlety isn’t a word used much in the Vaquera world.
The label is for people with fanciful, visionary and often impractical taste — these are clothes made for going out out. Whether it's the derby bonnet-style hats, voluminous trains or eccentric Teddy dresses, their clothes radiate delightful irreverence.
Founded by Patric DiCaprio, 32, a former stylist from Alabama, and Bryn Taubensee, 32, a vintage enthusiast who grew up in Indiana, the brand has enjoyed a steady build-up of industry buzz, celebrity followers and critical acclaim that goes beyond fashion and social media. With devotees including Rihanna and Tessa Thompson, the New York-based brand is made up of equally confident dressers; people who feel right at home in tinsel or large-scale ribbons attached to oversized blazers.
DiCaprio and Taubensee's love of reverie and avant-garde garments is what brought them together in New York, a city that continues to inspire them.
‘Coming from a smaller town, you have this idea of fashion as being magical and amazing, and all about artistic expression. But [beginning your career] you quickly realise, "Oh, it’s just an industry selling clothing",' DiCarprio says. But moving to New York reignited that earlier passion. 'New York fuels Bryn and me. We're not making collections that look like pieces you see on the street. It’s what we want to see. It's not realism; it's fantasy.’
Their vision captured the eyes of Adrian Joffe and James Gilchrist, the president and vice president of Dover Street Market America and Comme des Garçons America respectively. Joffe and Gilchrist are two of Vaquera's biggest champions, offering a lifeline for the label when the business faltered.
'We had hit rock bottom and run out of money,’ DiCaprio says. Taubensee adds: ‘We thought, "How do we do a show when we barely have a collection?"’ Taubensee adds. But by February 2020 they were sending larger-than-life frilled camouflage skirts, ribbed ankle-skimming khaki knits and cropped PVC boleros down a runway housed in Dover Street Market’s Midtown New York store after Gilchrist offered the location as a show space. Joffe later invited Vaquera to be a part of the Dover Street Market family. DSMP helps with support on the production front.
DiCaprio and Taubensee have since taken their show to Paris – a move that felt pivotal after 11 seasons in New York – with a view to expanding their business into Europe. With growth comes the age-old balancing act between making wearable luxury pieces and remaining true to a label's creative vision. But so far it's a juggle they've managed with ease. ‘I had a moment when we were in our showroom this season and I got kind of emotional looking around at all the clothes,' Taubensee says. 'I feel like we really have retained our original spirit.'
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